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RPG
n ''C,U an excercise in which you pretend to be in a particular situation, especially to help you learn a language or deal with problems: ''Language teachers often use role=play in the classroom. This is the definition of 'role-play' according to the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English*. This however can then include anything from Dungeons & Dragons, to cops and robbers, to the practice that is used in the examples given. The last one however can be discarded if we look at an RPG, as that doesn't include a 'game'-element. So there are a few more additions to be made to the definition, the first obvious one is to include a game element and scratching the excercise bit. Also, an RPG doesn't really take place in one particular situation, but in a series of situations, so it is better to say that you pretend to be a particular character. That would give us the following. RPG: n, a game in which you pretend to be a particular character. This then however includes any first person game on the computer and any other game in which you control a particular character, so there must be something more setting it apart. The setting itself is robably not a good choice, though a lot of RPGs seem to be of the fantasy genre, there are a great number that are sci-fi, 'gothic', contemporary, post-apocalyptic, renaissance-themed, pulp-themed or anything else the creators can think of. A more detailed look at the character gives us some more help. Characters in RPG's usually grow, either in level or in capabilities. The levels indirectly usually also increase their capabilities, but this is a minor point at first glance, it can however be used in a more defining way, as some RPG's don't use levels at all. RPG: n, a game in which you pretend to be a character, that shows character advancement, either through gaining levels or gaining new capabilities. This however can now also include several RTS (Real-Time Strategy) or TBS (Turn-Based Strategy) games, though these can be included under the TRPG (Tactical RPG) category, the big difference between TRPG and the other two kinds is that in TRPG the emphasis is on role-playing using a tactics based game, whereas the others are strategy based games including elements of roleplaying. This emphasis can make our definition a bvit more specific. RPG: n, a game in which the emphasis is put on pretending to be a character, that shows character advancement, either through gaining levels or gaining new capabilities. Pretending to be a character however is something that most kids do and most kids in these sort ot live-action RPG's, or LARPs, increase the capabilities of their character on demand. They however are not so much set by rules and guidelines and usually do not incorporate any element of 'acting' as a certain character, which gives us to more specific additions. RPG: n, a game in which you act out a character, that shows character advancement, either through gaining levels or gaining new capabilities, using a set series of rules of guidelines. This makes it become rather lengthy though, so the extra explanation of character advancement seems rather redundant. RPG: n, a game in which you act out a character, that shows character advancement, using a set series of rules and guidelines. This seems to be a definition that works for this wikia at least, so to give some examples of some of the different types of RPG's listed by category or genre: Pen and paper: World of Darkness, Dungeons & Dragons MMORPG: City of Heroes/Villains, World of Warcraft RPG video-game: Final Fantasy series, Diablo series TRPG: Fire Emblem, Cadwallon, King's Bounty series Post-apocalyptic: Fallout series Contemporary: World of Darkness series Renaissance: 7th Sea, Castle Falkenstein Fantasy: Dungeons & Dragons, Diablo series Sci-Fi: Shadowrun Horror: Call of Cthulhu, World of Darkness Series 'Gothic': Dungeons & Dragons: Ravenloft Comedy: Munchkin Category:Terminology